161452017-09-16Low-Cost Lidar for Wake-Vortex and Other Hazard Detection, Phase IICompletedJul 2013Jan 2016The evolution of the National Airspace System via the Next Generation Air Transportation System program depends on enabling new operational concepts to increase efficiency. Decreasing the spacing between aircraft on takeoff and landing would increase the throughput of airports. On-board sensing capability for wake vortices could allow aircraft to operate with reduced spacings. Wake vortices can be detected by a lidar located on the aircraft, but such a system needs to be small, lightweight, rugged, and require minimal maintenance. The Phase I program showed the feasibility of an intrinsically low-cost, coherent lidar that would be suitable for deployment on commercial airliners for axial wake vortex detection. The Low-Cost Lidar Test Bed was used to demonstrate measurement of aerosol returns. The program also assessed the feasibility of using the lidar for remote detection of clear air turbulence and volcanic ash clouds. The program developed a conceptual design for a prototype system that would be fabricated and ground tested in the Phase II program. The Phase II program will design and fabricate an engineering prototype compact coherent Doppler lidar and demonstrate it by measuring ambient wind fields at nearby venues.Potential NASA Commercial Applications: NASA applications mostly relate to flight safety: wind shear, vortex, and CAT detection. The low-cost through simplicity design approach may be attractive for high-reliability applications.335324215Aeronautics326915.1Safe, Efficient, Growth in Global Aviation356315.1.1Improved Efficiency and Hazard Reduction within NextGen Operational DomainsSBIR/STTRSpace Technology Mission DirectorateLangley Research CenterLaRCNASA CenterHamptonVAQ-Peak, Inc.IndustryBedfordMAMassachusettsVirginiaTherese GriebelCarlos TorrezIvan ClarkChris H Depriest2782Project ImageImageLow-Cost Lidar for Wake-Vortex and Other Hazard Detection Project Image3865https://techport.nasa.gov/file/386518355